Container convertible to a toy



P.- D. GRIEM.

CONTAINER CONVERTIBLE TO A TOY Feb; 18,1 958 Filed June 29, 1955 /8 /8a"*7 "ilk 1941/4 0. @P/f/V hEliZZiUT .ment are also required for thepackage.

United States Patent 'CONTAINERCONVERTIBLE TO A TOY Paul D.Griem,Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Owens Brush Company, Toledo, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Application June. 29,. 1955,:Serial No. 518,820

3"Claims. i (0.46-5.11)

Jhe instantinvention relatesv generally to packages and '10 containersadapted for use in display packages, and

more particularly, to a container that is readily and easily assembledand disassembled and contains a transparent fmember'for displaying anarticle to be-contained thereby in a' package assembly.

Although the instant.inventionisadapted for use in a number of arts, itmay be used with particular advantage in the packaging of individualarticles in highlycompetitivefields, such as in the packaging oftoothbrushes or.similar articles. For sanitary reasons as well ascustomer appeal there has developed a very great demand for toothbrushespackagedindividually inpackages wherein the toothbrush orsimilar-article may be seen by. the customer. Such packages must bereasonably. sturdy and attractiveto have the necessary customerappea-l.Also,

'the packages are preferably assembled. anddi-sassembled .simplifiedstructure which not only fulfills all of. the above mentionedrequirements,.but also presents even a greater attractive feature in theappearance of end membersor plugs for the package, either assembled onthe package or separately assembled.

In essence, the instant container comprises a central transparent hollowelongated member which receives. the article to be packaged and a pairof plugmembers which fit snugly into opposite ends of .the hollowmembento complete the package. The plugv members .have/theappearance andshape of the front and rear end, respectively, of a toy, such as a dog,train, boat or. the like. Each of the. plug members has feet or.comparable. supporting projections (-e. g. wheels) which cooperate tomount the package and the central transparent portion thereofin .a fixeddisplay position so that additional displaymounting structure is notnecessary. Each of the plugmembers also has centering or guide meansmounted thereon and cooperating with the ends of the elongated hollowmember to fix the position of the article therein in ansuitable displayposition. ..In additiomthe two plug members. may be assembled separatelynot onlyto define a somewhat altered shape ofthe toy formed by thepackage, but also to keep the mating plugmembers inassembly so one willnot be lost during assemblyandldisassembly operations.

It is .thus an important object of the instant invention to provide animproved container and an improved pack- Patented Feb. 18, 1958 ageformed ofthe container -.with an article suitably mounted therein.

It is an additional important object of the instant invention to providean improved container and an improvedpackage 'formed of the containerwith an article suitably mounted therein comprising container end plugswhich support the package in display position.

It is a further object of the. instant invention to provide an improvedcontainer'that is sturdy and attractive in appearance.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide an improvedpackagewhich is self-supporting, easily assembled and disassembled, andequipped with centering means for displaying the article, andalso has anadditional utility because it maybe used as a toy.

Other andfurther objects, features and advantages of theinstantinvention will become apparent to those skilled in the art fromthefollowing detailed disclosure thereof and the drawings attachedhereto and made a part hereof.

On thefdrawings: Figure 1 is.a side'elevational view of apackageembodying the instant invention;

. Figure .2, is a top, plan view 'of'the package shown in Figure 1;

tion 12 and atail end portion'13, in the. form of a toothbrushfhavingbristles 12' mountedat: the head endlf. andian elongatedhandle' definingthe tail end portion 13. Other articles maya'lso' be'retainedin theinstant package 10 such as fingernail files,"pencils,pens, etc. and itis not absolutely necessary that these articles have such asubstantially elongatedshaperasfhere indicated. In fact, otherarticlesthatare'not elongated in shape may be packagedinsIightlydifierent shaped containers .in accordance generallywith the'teachingsof the instant invention,

"although theqinvention ispreferred for use with elongated articles.

The. package'10'also comprises a container (indicated as 10"in1Figure .3wherein the article 11 is not shown) madeupof' an elongated hollowtransparent tube or envelope -14 open'at bothendsand adapted to axiallyreceive the article 11 therein. The elongatedenvelope. 14 is preferably'tubu'larfin shape,"but itmay'have other (substantially uniform)cross-sectional shapes such as square or triangular shapes which wouldstill permit the *hollow envelope 14 topreceive the'article ,11. Theenvelope 14is,' however, preferably tubular in shape because thissimplifiesthe shaping of the'plug'portions inserted therein (whichwillbe'descr'ibed hereinafter) and it also'sirnplifies the formation oft-heenvelope itself,

" which is-preferablymade ofa' transparent-material that issubstantially rig-id tomake a snug fitting with the plug members to bedescribedbut'may have a certain amount of flexibility. ERigidftransparent synthetic resins .such as the p olyacrylates;polystyrene, or :therlikemay: be. used to form the :tube 1'4.Preferably, the -tubel lis madenf cellulose-acetate, :cellulose.raceitate-lbutyrate, or compartablewtransparent celluloseester--whichis :slightly :flexible 1 to afford-easy.-.handli-nga.andsirnpact resistance :desiredin .a package .ofthistype, but which issuitably rigid (to make "The pair of plugs 15 and16 each have a projection 17 3 and 18, respectively, thereon releasablyand snugly fitting into an end 14a and 14b, respectively, of theenvelope 14 to close the same. At the first plug or head plug 15, thefirst projection 17 thereon releasably and snugly fits Within the end14a of the tube 14, with the extremity of the tube end 14a fitting fiushagainst a shoulder 17a at the base of the projection 17. The firstprojection 17 extends outwardly from the head plug 15 in generally axialalignment with the tube 14 and axially opposed to the correspondingprojection 18 on the tail plug 16. A first recess 19 preferably having agenerally annular cross-section smaller in size than the overallcross-section of the first projection 17 is formed in the outwardlyextending face of the projection 17 and generally concentrically alignedtherewith.

The second plug or tail plug 16 has a second projection 18 thereonreleasably and snugly fitting within the other tube end 14b, with thetube end 14b fitting flush against a shoulder 18a at the base of theprojection 18. The annular shoulders 17a and 18:: on the plugs 15 and16, respectively, fix the relative position of the elements 14, 15 and16 in the assembled package 10. The second projection 18 on the tailplug 16 has a third projection 20, of telescopic shape, extendingoutwardly from the second projection 18 and being of smallercross-section than the second projection 18, and defining therewith anannular shoulder 20a at the base of the third projection 20. The secondprojection 18 and the third projection 20 are axially aligned andgenerally concentric and the third projection 20 is adapted to fitsnugly and releasably into the first recess 19 of the head plug 15, asshown in Figure 4, whenever the plugs 15 and 16 are momentarilyseparated from the tube 14. This alfords the advantage of coupling meansbetween the two plugs 15 and 16 so that such plugs will remain in pairs,in mating engagement, before and after assembly and one of such pairswill not be lost. In addition, the assembled plugs 15 and 16 provide atoy in and of themselves. Because of the snug fit between the firstrecess and the third projection 20, the hollow space within the toyformed by the plugs 15 and 16 alone will permit this toy to float onwater (which in the case of the plug members shaped as the front andrear portion of a boat will have particular use).

The plug members 15 and 16 are preferably made of a suitable lightweightsynthetic resin material that has a certain amount of resilience orflexibility so as to assure a snug fit with the tube 14 and with theplug members themselves. Preferably a natural or synthetic elastomer isused having a sufficient amount of rigidity to be selfsupporting, butalso having an adequate amount of elastomeric properties to permit thesnug fits hereinbefore described. Polyethylene is preferred for use inthe prac-- vtice of the instant invention, because it can be moldedeasily in the rather complicated shapes of the instant plugs 15 and 16and it has a very smooth waxy texture and resilience or elastomericproperties to the extent desired.

As will also be seen, the head plug 15 is shaped generally to define thefore part of a dog defining the head portion 15a and also the fore feet15b, which feet or mounting portion 15b presents a fiat base 15c. Therear plug 16 has the general shape of the rear part of a dog with rearfeet portions 16a extending therefrom in generally parallel alignment tothe fore feet portions 15b and also defining a flat bottom supportingsurface 16b.

The feet portions 15b and 16a thus are adapted to suphead and fore feetportions 15a and 15b, respectively,

in the head plug 15 afford handle means for manually grasping the headplug 15 during assembly and disassernbly; and in like manner, the tailportion 16; and they feet portions 16a of the tail plug afiord manuallygraspable means.

It will also be noted that in the tail plug 16 the third projection 20(and also the second projection 18) have another recess 21 therein andgenerally concentric thereto. The recess 21 opens into the outer face ofthe projection 20 and is here shown in enlarged form. Actually, therecess 21 can be made, and preferably is made, to fit substantially thesize of the tail end portion 13 of the article 11 so as to receive andposition or center the article tail end 13 when the package 10 isassembled. This can also be done by tapering the bottom of the recess 21or, if it is desired to save material, merely by providing a thinupwardly (or radially) extending fin 22 (shown in full view in Figures 3and 4) in the lower side of the recess 21 to engage the end of the brushhandle 13 and center the same in the tube 14.

Means are also provided in the head plug 15 for cooperation with therecess 21 in the tail plug 16 to effect centering and positioning of thearticle 11. And such means are in the form of a fourth projection 23which is positioned centrally within the first recess 19 and isgenerally concentric with the recess 19 and the projection 17 on theplug 15. The projection 23 extends outwardly from the plug 15 to besubstantially flush with the outer edge of the projection 17, so as tocooperate with the head portion 12 of the brush 11 to prevent the headportion 12 from being hidden in the first recess 19. The plug projection23 thus is urged against the article head 12 in the package 11) so as toexclude the head 12 from the first recess 19 and the fourth projectionthus cooperates with the second recess 21 to centrally mount the article11 in the package 10.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A package comprising an elongated article having a head end portionand a tail end portion, an elongated hollow transparent tube open atboth ends axially receiving the article to retain the same therein, afirst plug having a first projection thereon releasably and snuglyfitting within one tube end and a first recess in said first projection,and a second plug having a second projection thereon releasably andsnugly fitting within the other tube end and a third projectionextending outwardly from said second projection and being of smallercross-section to snugly fit into said first recess, both said plugshaving feet portions extending in parallel alignment therefrom tosupport said package on a surface with the tube in generally parallelalignment with the surface, the head end of said article extending intosaid first recess in said first projection and the tail end of saidarticle being maintained in fully exposed position within thetransparent tube by said third projection.

2. A container comprising an elongated hollow transparent tube open atboth ends adapted to receive and display an article, a first plug havinga first projection thereon releasably and snugly fitting within one tubeend and a first recess in said first projection, and a second plughaving a second projection thereon releasably and snugly fitting withinthe other tube end and a third projection extending outwardly from saidsecond projection and being of smaller cross-section to snugly fit intosaid first recess, so that said first recess and said third projectionmay position an article within the hollow tube when said plugs aremounted thereon and said first recess and said third projection may befit together to assemble said plugs as a toy in the absence of saidtube.

3. A container comprising an elongated hollow transparent tube open atboth ends adapted to receive and display anarticle, a first plug havinga first projection thereon releasably and snugly fitting within one tubeend and a first recess in said first projection, and a second plughaving a second projection thereon releasably and snugly fitting withinthe other tube end and a third projection extending outwardly from saidsecond projection and being of smaller cross-section to snugly fit intosaid first recess, both said plugs having feet portions extending inparallel alignment therefrom to support said package on a surface withthe tube in generally parallel alignment with the surf-ace, so that saidfirst recess and said third projection may position an article withinthe hollow tube when said plugs are mounted thereon and said firstrecess and said third projection may be fit together to assemble saidplugs as a toy in the absence of said tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

